U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,257 purports to disclose and claim a “Toasting Apparatus”. The invention discusses a toasting apparatus including a housing within which a heating platen is mounted having two opposed heating surfaces. Conveying means are positioned on each side of the heating platen with each conveying means spaced from a respective heating surface defining respective paths for travel of a bun half. Clearly distinguishable characteristics, particularly structural, may be had with respect to the benefits and teachings of the '257 patent and the instant invention. Most particularly and as will be discussed in association with the detail disclosure of the instant invention, the '257 patent lacks disclosure teaching or claim of a chain/gear driven conveyance means whereby a consumable item to be cooked or toasted as it traverses the internal portion of the toaster oven in a heating zone positioned between a backing plate and a series of vertically aligned, centrally disposed rollers. Further distinguishing characteristics clearly show the '257 patent to be absent any teaching disclosure or claim with respect to integrated heating elements contained within a plurality of vertically oriented and aligned rollers providing heat on a first side of a toasted article and an optional backing plate heat source on the opposite side of the food item.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,610 purports to disclose and claim an “Apparatus for Conveyorized Toasting of Breads and Like Food Items”. The invention discusses an apparatus for conveyorized toasting of sandwich buns and like bread and food items simultaneously on opposite sides comprises a central heated platen with two bun transport conveyors traveling in spaced relation along opposite sides of the platen and with a pair of auxiliary heating elements disposed outwardly of the respective food transport runs of the conveyors in facing relation to the opposite sides of the platen. While the '610 patent purports to claim a simultaneous toasting of crown and heel portions of sandwich buns, bread and similar food items it is clear the '610 patent lacks the art enhancement teachings of the instant invention with respect to a plurality of centrally disposed, vertically aligned gear/chain driven rollers with integrated heating elements interspersed between said rollers and/or within the internal core portion of each roller. Further, the '610 patent would further seem to indicate a limitation with respect to the conveying means in that it lacks the resiliency and reliability of the chain driven mechanism of the instant invention and instead relies upon the contemporary teachings of the field of the art in which belt like conveyance means substantially subject to motivation failure are relied upon and utilized.
Consequently, given the deficiencies of the above noted art and other representative teachings, it is clear what is needed is a vertically oriented roller toaster oven with first and second heating zones disposed and positioned between one or more series of centrally disposed vertically aligned axially displaced rollers and respectfully positioned backing plates. The instant invention meets and exceeds this demand and further enhances the art by disclosing an alternatively positioned uppermost roller pair which may be angularly displaced from those immediately below to provide for ease of entrance with respect to a food item and one or more signaling means allowing for automatic adjustment of time required for food item(s) to traverse the internal portion of the invention. The invention further discloses teaches and claims the conveying means which is embodied as a continuously linked chain motivated by an electric motor and connected to a spur gear which is mountedly affixed to a vertical roller seating bracket and engagement gear located on an end of at least one of the vertically aligned and axially displaced rollers.